


All That Matters

by ArtieSafari



Category: Andi Mack (TV)
Genre: Almost Kiss, Confession, Fluff, Interrupted, M/M, One Shot, Tyrus - Freeform, kiss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-06
Updated: 2018-08-06
Packaged: 2019-06-22 18:32:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15588123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArtieSafari/pseuds/ArtieSafari
Summary: Buffy catches T.J. and Cyrus about to kiss, what follows is T.J. confessing everything.





	All That Matters

**Author's Note:**

> I will be updating Physical Issues, I just really wanted to make this one shot! I hope you enjoy!

     It was practically in slow motion. Cyrus jumped, the ball soared through the air, bounced around the rim of the basket, and fell through the net. He jumped in excitement as I smiled and ran up to him, picking him up in a strong embrace and twirling him around.

     "You did it, Underdog!" I cheered as I set him back onto his feet. Although I fully expected him to drop his arms from around my neck, he didn't. We stood inches apart, my hands still firmly on his waist, simply staring at each other. My heart caught in my throat from those adorable chocolate eyes, his smile sending goosebumps over my skin. I had no doubt he could hear my pounding heart over the silence of the empty gym. 

     "Thank you, TJ. For everything," he said quietly as I smiled down at him. His eyes flicked down to my lips and I convinced myself I imagined it until I saw him do it again. I brought my hand from his waist to rest under his chin and leaned in slowly, silently asking permission. The grip he had on my neck tightened as I snaked the arm still on his hip around his back. His eyes closed as I brought him closer. Breathless, I shut mine. His warm breath against my lips was intoxicating, the mere inch between us infuriating.

     "What-" Buffy shouted from the gym entrance as Cyrus and I broke apart. "-Is going on?" Buffy made sure to put emphasis on every word. She stomped towards us, glaring every step of the way. Snarling under her breath, she stood face to face with the boy I almost shared my first kiss with, her arms crossed over her chest. He looked mortified, like he knew he was about to die. "It's one thing to be friends with the guy who constantly tormented me. But this? This is another thing entirely."

     "Buffy, I-"

     "And you," she yelled, turning to me and standing tall. "How dare you take advantage of my best friend like this?"

     "I'm not taking advantage of anybody," I said as Buffy let out a snicker. Cyrus clearly wanted to speak but didn't have the chance.

     "Oh really? So you're telling me that you genuinely like Cyrus and aren't just using him for some bigger game? I doubt that."

     "I genuinely like Cyrus and I'm not using him for some bigger game," I told her, staring her directly in the eye. "My whole life I've been told that if things get hard, I just need to suck it up. 'Be a man, TJ. Be a man.' That's all I've heard my entire life. From my dad, my older brothers, my uncles, everybody. If I talked about my problems, 'be a man.' If I couldn't do something, 'be a man.' If I did anything that came across as weak, 'be a man.' I was lucky I liked basketball or else I would have been a complete embarrassment to all of them. So all I've ever done is try to prove that I'm a man, and it's made me do things I'm not proud of. It's why I bottled everything up, why I never asked for help, and..." I paused, lowering my volume from the near-shout I was doing moments before. "...and why I treated you so horribly. I couldn't be nice to you, because that'd be weakness. I couldn't be outshone by a girl, because then nobody in my family would take me seriously again."

     "And what does any of this have to do with Cyrus?" she asked, her tone still harsh but flinching. She was trying to stay tough.

     "He's the first person who's ever been there for me. He listened to me when I had problems and didn't judge me for them, he made me feel like I was normal and that I didn't have anything to prove. He made me realize that what I was doing was hurting people, including myself. I've never had somewhere I felt safe before, but around him, it's like nothing else in the world matters. He's helped me realize that I don't need to be mean, or emotionless, or straight, or anything I've been told real men are. And even disregarding all of that, he's the most amazing person I've ever met." At this point, I was looking behind Buffy at a smiling Cyrus. "He's the funniest guy I've ever talked to. His heart is made of pure gold. He's so unashamed to be who he is and it's infectious. He cares so much about everyone around him. Not to mention, he's absolutely adorable." I saw the shorter boy blush as I spoke the last one quieter than all the others. I turned my attention back to Buffy who had dropped her arms to her side. "I'm sorry for the way I treated you. You didn't deserve it. It was my problem, not yours, and I'm sorry I made it your problem. I get why you're so protective over Cyrus and why you'd worry about me hurting him, but I promise you, the last thing I want is to see Underdog upset. He deserves the absolute world, and whether or not I'm able to give it to him, I don't know, but what I do know is that I won't stop trying to give it to him."

     "TJ, that's... That's so sweet... I don't know what to say," Buffy said, turning to look at Cyrus whose eyes had welled up with tears. Eyes that were staring directly at me. "I'm sorry," she whispered before taking a few steps back. "I'll leave you two alone." With that, she left the gym. Once the doors closed, the boy in front of my wrapped his arms around me again and I happily held him in my arms.

     "Did you mean everything you said?" he asked quietly into my shoulder before pulling back slightly to look me in the eyes. I didn't hesitate to hold his chin once again.

     "Of course I did, Underdog. Every single word." After a shared smile, I closed the distance between us, my heart exploding into the fireworks between us. He kissed back gently, his hands sliding down to my chest and gripping onto the collar of my shirt. As we slowly pulled away, I opened my eyes to meet his. 

     "That was... incredible," he said breathlessly. I struggled to catch my own breath and all I could do was let out a happy laugh. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Buffy spying through the small window in the gym door. But I didn't care, because all that mattered in that moment was me and Underdog.


End file.
